Club Fitting: You’re Asking The Wrong Qustions

A once-highly regarded golfer/fashionista/Commander-in-Chief said “Ask not what your golf clubs can do for you, but what you can do for your golf clubs.” That’s right, President John Fitz Kennedy… When it comes to club fitting, the man just gets it.

Now, I may have paraphrased that quote from Jack, but the sentiment holds true. Golfers are often missing the point when it comes to getting fit for clubs, and they’re missing the point in all directions.

Full disclosure, I sometimes moonlight as a tech rep in and around the great city of Chicago. I have put in my hours on the range, in the rain, grinding away to get that recent retiree completely dialed in. I’ll do whatever it takes to get that C-Flight club champ the extra 10 yards off the tee he craves so much. And I’ll be damned if I can’t get his wife into a 9-wood that really pops. It’s just what I do, people. I don’t do it for the fame or the money…. I do it because I care. I do it for the kids. They’re our future, after all.

But that brings us to the point…. You might not be getting your moneys worth when you’re getting fit. I’ve found that roughly a million percent of golfers have misconceptions about the proper fitting process. I’ve compiled a list of questions you should never, even under threat of death, ask the person fitting you for clubs. I’ve also inserted the correct answer to the questions:

(When looking at two clubs) “Which club is better?”

They’re both great, but one might be better for you, and the other may be better for someone else. That’s the point of fitting, homie. All major equipment manufacturers make “good” clubs. All of them. Every single one. None of them puts crappy product on the market. They all have engineers who are highly educated in physics and other nonsense that helps your golf ball do things. BUT…. Not every club is perfect for your dime store swing.

“How far does a 9 iron go?”

Again, chief, not everyone has the same swing or the same expectations when it comes to distance. You aren’t going to hit your 9 iron as far as the pro’s. Heck, you’re probably not even going to hit your 9 iron the same distance as the guy next to you on the range. In a perfect world we find a set of irons that gets the most out of your swing.

“Where is the [insert OEM here] tent? I am absolutely buying the [insert product with best marketing here]!!!”

I’m not going to fault anyone for falling victim to clever marketing. That’s the American way… Marketing, drive through tacos, and gluttony are what make this country the best in the world. That’s a fact. But…. If you’re spending the time, effort and money to get fit, just try as much as you can. Your pro will stand on the tee with you for hours to get you dialed in the right way… Why not take advantage of that? Try everything and have an open mind. Maybe you still end up with [insert product with best marketing here] in your bag or maybe you don’t. But at last you’ve made an informed decision.

“I don’t need more than two wedges. I have a pitching and a sand… That’s plenty!”

No it’s not. It is absolutely not! Wedges are the most important clubs in your bag. Think about how many shots you hit inside 125 yards…. Now think about how many times you hit a driver… Which clubs should you spend the most time on and have the most versatility with? Go get fit for wedges. Just do it. Don’t make me tell you again. Go. Now. Stop reading this and go get fit for wedges.

“Will this club fix my 35 yard slice?”

I want to say yes. But I also don’t want to lie to you. Getting fit for golf clubs is immensely important to your success on the golf course, but lessons are more important.